Other Churches

Are online churches legal and are we? How about the other sites?

This is the most commonly asked question we hear daily. Are churches like ours legal and is the ordination of such a church legal? For the Universal Ministries the answer is simply YES to both questions. We feel it important that people know our authority and our ability to grant the authority of this church to our seekers.

How do you know if your church, local or online, is a real church and has the right to ordain? The best way to discuss this is through IRS guidelines of church organization. The IRS created 14 points, or guidelines, to determine if an organization meets the essence of legal authority.

These are the questions you should ask when seeking ordination, either free or charged for, from online and mail order churches. Simply making an Internet site and offering ordination does not make it legal. Calling your site a church does not make it a church or even a religious site without following certain events or requirements. It is the organization behind a site that determines the validity of the site or mail order house. Additionally, we should look at the more obvious questions of can we contact the Home church or are there only voice mail and email contact links?

Let's go to the IRS guidelines and compare them to the online sites and mail order houses before we leap to the wrong choice.

A distinct legal existence:
Is there a real church with a physical presence behind the site? Is it a real organization or simply a kitchen table business selling religious entitlements and products? What is the physical address of the church? Are members able to visit and worship? The Universal Ministries has a physical church that maintains regular worship services at the physical church. The church is registered with the County and can be visited daily.

A recognized creed and form of worship:
Does the organization or site provide any form of creed? If they claim all faith, do they worship within any of them on a regular basis? Though the Universal Ministries is an all faith church and does share teachings of a wide variety of beliefs, the current Pastor leads worship based primarily in Biblical texts and compares faiths to reach the greatest truths of the God of all faiths.

A definite and distinct ecclesiastical government:
Is there a Board that controls the operations of the church, or is it owned by one or two people selling goods with little else? Many online sites are owned by one or two people and do not care if they do more than make money by pretentious claims of authority.

A formal code of doctrine and discipline:
Does the site give more than just vague statements of faith? Does the site offer any form of training or guidance online to help the newly ordained members? The Universal Ministries provides freely online training articles to aid ministers as well as personal discussions and classes locally for members. Additionally, Rev. Hickman and the Universal Ministries Bishops are available online or in most cases, over the phone to help our members. We do not just give you a paper and ignore you.

A distinct religious history:
Does the online site or church provide a continuation of religious history? Is there even in new churches, a history that brings the church or site to a place that shares faith, or is it again primarily a paper mill?

A membership not associated with any (other) church or denomination:
Though this is the most argued guideline as many people join many organizations, it is one that demands asking. The Universal Ministries has both membership specific to the UM as well as membership open to allow people to express faith through a variety of sources. We do not demand that you quit one organization to join us, yet many have done so to solidify their faith.

A complete organization of ordained ministers ministering to their congregations:
Does the site or church keep complete records that can be verified? Does the organization keep the records clear of multiple requests by individuals and verify the individual requests? The Universal Ministries maintains a complete record of all member/ministers present and past to verify the credentials of our ministers. Additionally the Universal Ministries offers a voluntary minister's registry that is published on request in Book format to serve members in areas that request such publication.

Ordained ministers elected after completing prescribed courses of study:
Does the site or church elect members to the clergy or simply send a certificate? The Universal Ministries does provide training and additional study courses for our membership, but elects the individual through their statement of faith and acceptance of statement made upon request for appointment. The Universal Ministries does suggest that all ministers continue studies after ordination to better serve those they seek them.

A literature of its own:
Does the site or church offer a textbook of that church? Is there additional material available specific to the church beyond credentials? The Universal Ministries offers several books created specifically for the UM and offered only through this church as well as material outside of the church to serve our members.

Established places of worship:
As mentioned previously, is there and established place or places of worship, or does the site bounce around only offering forums and occasional webservices, changing from one to another without an established, continuous place you can find? The Universal Ministries has a Chapel with a physical address that holds not just services each week, but provides housing for the local Boy scouts and is open daily to everyone.

Regular congregations:
Does the site or church have a regular congregation or just a list of names that have filed for ordination? Does the congregation meet regular in person or just as members of forums? The Universal Ministries offers both local congregation for fellowship as well as online meeting for members than can not visit the Home church. The Universal Ministries is a full service church created to share faith in all ways as called in Matt. 28:19-20

Regular religious services:
As you can see, this is an important issue with the IRS. Does the site or church hold regular services? As shared previously the Universal Ministries is opened daily as well as regularly scheduled services each Sunday at 11 AM in our Chapel.

Sunday Schools for the preparation of its ministers:
Does the site or church offer school preparation for ministers? The Universal Ministries does offer studies both before and after ordination though we do not demand that any minister use these services. We see true faith provided through God and our training simply programs of man to serve man. The UM complies with available course studies, but sees them as minor to real service in God.

Schools for religious instruction of the young:
Does the site provide instruction for the young or school in which to offer such? The Universal Ministries does offer religious instruction for youth through the local church. Youth instruction is offered weekly prior to regular weekly service. This is continued through the Scout program as Scouting includes religious teaching to build tomorrow's leaders in life and faith.

If you have read this article to this point, you are now aware that the Universal Ministries comply with all guidelines as to the legal establishment of a church organization. The Universal Ministries not only meets all guidelines, but works to exceed them through a variety of services.

Do the other online sites or churches comply? Are they actually churches as many claim in their statements online or are they false sites seeking your dollars? If you tried to reach them was theirs a real phone number or just a message machine? Did it offer you additional contact numbers or only a vague email? Do you find information to guide you or only a few pages that say little and a catalog taking up the rest of the site? Do they promote ministry for faith or as a Tax dodge? Will they help you without concern for payment or do they insist that you order something to receive their service?

As God ordains us individually in faith and grants us spiritual ordination freely in that faith, why does men insist on payment for what God gave freely? Does the Internet site or church provide ordination valid in all 50 States and in all Cities of those States? The Universal Ministries is one of few churches online that provides ordination, legal in all 50 States. The UM has met the standards required to get ministers registered in every registry State of this Nation.

The purpose of this article is not to belittle or attack the real people or organizations online seeking to share faith through works. We do not offer this to abuse other sites, but to help you make an educated decision before accepting ordination that may have little or no value in law. We do not insult churches that are online seeking to serve in faith, just to make you as the individual aware that not all sites are as they claim. The Universal Ministries is a physical, viable church serving in the community locally as well as worldwide through our online site.

We do not determine who is correct in law or faith, you must decide if the site you look at is real or false in IRS standing. You must decide if there is a church or just a store that you join.